


Money isn't Everything

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-03
Updated: 2008-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-30 09:47:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15094202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Donna wants her money back! This story follows Josh and Donna's relationship over the years as she strives to get her tax rebate.What would she do with the money if she could get it?





	Money isn't Everything

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Money isn’t everything

The Bartlet years

Each year the argument was the same.

“I want my money back.”

“You can’t have it. You won’t be getting it with this administration.”

“Why not? It’s my money.”

“You wont spend it properly.”

“How do you know?”

“You wont. You’ll spend it on some frivolous item.”

“Frivolous!” She hmphed. ”I want to spoil myself.”

“Yeah. Like I said, something frivolous.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Are you saying I don’t deserve to spoil myself?”

He knew he was entering dangerous waters but as often happened his mouth engaged before his brain.

“We serve at the pleasure of the President. What we want is immaterial. Spoiling ourselves is way down on the list of priorities.”

“You know Josh, sometimes when you say things like that I find it hard to understand why I…” she abruptly stopped talking.

Josh turned to look at her. “Why you what?”

“Never mind,” and she stormed off.

Later that day, he found her in the Mess, eating a bowl of French Fries while staring mindlessly out the window. He dropped a bundle of catalogues on the table.

“Let’s say you did get your money back. Put together a wish list.”

Donna looked up at him and said “What?”

“”If you had the money, what would you like to buy? It doesn’t hurt to dream.”

Donna was a little stunned. The playful side to Josh didn’t often make an appearance but when it did it was hard to resist.

“Ok, but why don’t you sit with me? You can stop me from blowing my budget.”

The two of them spent more than hour browsing catalogues, selecting items and challenging each other choices while sharing the bowl of fries. Donna’s list grew and grew as she chose luxury beauty products, scarves, jewelry and DVD’s for her as yet unpurchased DVD player. It was a nice dream.

 

The Santos Years

“I want my money back.”

Josh sighed. This annual argument had replaced the old argument about their “anniversary”.

“You know you’re not getting it. Why do you keep asking?”

“It never hurts to ask. Ask often enough and one day someone is going to listen.”

“Well we’re not listening. Your money has important things to do and we know the best way to spend it.”

“Are you saying I don’t know how to spend my money wisely?” Her eyes narrowed and her voice had a steely edge to it.

By now Josh knew the warning signs and paused before answering in a placating tone. “No, you are very wise and sensible about spending. But sometimes the Government wants to be in charge of shopping.”

“Didn’t they get the memo? I’m in charge of shopping.”

Josh paused and looked at her “Ok, let’s go shopping.”

“You’re not serious. You hate shopping.”

“True, I hate shopping but I love to spend time with you and if you want to shop, we’ll shop.”

Donna hesitated. There had to be a catch here.

“We’ll go shopping and spend an imaginary rebate?

“No we’ll go to the shops but we won’t be buying. Just looking.”

“Where’s the fun in that?

“Dreams, Donna, dreams.”

The next Saturday they spent several hours at the Mall spending an imaginary rebate. They looked at towels to replace their old ones, new glassware, and electrical items for the kitchen. Donna even made a stop via Victoria’s Secret but it was here that the wheels fell off the wagon. It was here the imaginary spending ceased and some real spending took place. As Josh said “Sometimes dreams can come true.”

 

Post Santos years

“I’m getting my money! I’m getting my money,” Donna chanted.

“Well you shouldn’t be. The money could be better spent,” Josh grumbled. “And why are you happy about it? You’re a Democrat.”

“Oh, relax. I know the money should be spent on important things but I’m not about to say no if someone wants to give me money.” He was so easy to tease about this. 

“So, now that you actually have the money, no more pretend shopping. You can actually buy something this year. What are you going to buy? All those years of looking at luxury personal items, what’ll be? An Oroton bag? A string of real pearls? Louis Vuitton luggage?”

“No, it’ll take some thinking. If the budget is in surplus and the Government wants to give me some tax relief, I’m going to think carefully before I spend. Who knows when we’ll get another one.”

A few hours later Donna had decided. In fact, she really didn’t need to think too carefully but she enjoyed the pretence of it being a tough decision.

“Summer holidays are coming up. How about we go to Florida to visit your mother and treat ourselves to a few days at Disney World. The kids having been hinting about it for awhile now.”

Josh kept his smile to himself. He knew that when it came right down to it, Donna would choose to spend the money on something to make their family happy rather than on herself. 

“I think that’s a great idea. My mother is always wanting us to visit and the kids will be so excited.”

“So, you think we should spend our rebate on this?”

“I do.”

What Donna didn’t know was that her husband, knowing she would put the children first, had hidden in a drawer a velvet box wrapped in a distinctive eggshell blue box. A beautiful diamond bracelet nestled inside. If she wouldn’t spoil herself, he would! After all, she deserved it. He was living his dream and was more than happy to contribute to one of Donna’s.


End file.
